Abuse of databases by law enforcement of concern for concealed carriers

According to reporting by Sadie Gurman and Eric Tucker of the Associated Press, members of law enforcement around the nation are abusing their access to databases to gain information about people who are not the subject of official investigations. The cases include some officers gratifying their idle curiosity, while others were seeking revenge, and a few engaged in stalking, harassment, or tampering with records.

In one example, Alexis Dekany, an Ohio woman was the victim of an Akron police officer, her one-time boyfriend, who is now serving time for stalking her. In her words, the information available to a cop is “personal. It’s your address. It’s all your information, it’s your Social Security number, it’s everything about you.” Presumably, people dating would know each other’s addresses, though for someone who is being stalked, moving is often necessary. But the law requires most people to inform the police of their new addresses – within ten days in the case of vehicle registration in Ohio, for example. And when a person is legally obliged to tell the very people who employ the bad officers who are committing the abuse, what freedom is left?

How frequent are these violations of the privacy of Americans? The answer is that no one knows. No agency of the government at any level keeps track of such things, but the reporting of the AP has found hundreds of cases.

Some will say that as long as we’re not doing anything wrong, we have no reason to be concerned. Others will call me paranoid, but as a gun owner with a carry license, I’m used to that accusation. The argument that companies make is that they need these data to make money. So far, they’ve done a poor job of figuring out who I am, given the goods and services they try to sell me, but it’s thin comfort to think that my privacy depends on businesses having not yet dug deep enough into my life.

And we’re not done yet. It’s not just government and business. Even the most recognized organization defending gun rights is in the data game. Have you taken a class from an NRA-certified instructor? Your name may have been sent in to the group. Ever given your name when attending a gun show? Same thing. What is being done with this information? Andrew Arulanandam, speaking on behalf of the NRA, said, “That’s not any of your business.”

Presuming that privacy is something that we all value, what do we do? Supporters of gun rights get accused of caring only about the Second Amendment. That’s an impression that we have to work to change. Having guns is only one kind of defense, and it strikes me as wise, both in terms of strategy and tactics, to have multiple types and layers in our security plans. We have an opening with people who care about rights such as those guaranteed by the Fourth Amendment, thanks to Edward Snowden and others. Given the hacking of corporations lately, we also can connect with people who recognize the danger posed by data collection in big business. Working together, all of us can restore the legal and practical protections of all rights. Or we can fall one by one.

The views and opinions expressed in this post are those of the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the position of Guns.com.

Can you say America is a conquered police state….I can’t speak to everywhere, but in Santa Clara, silicon valley, when a sheriff pulls you over they have access to your credit/bank card purchases, social media posts, criminal history, gun owner, there are sting ray type towers tracking and downloading your cell phone and now your car data everywhere. They have gun shot detectors that can record your conversations and video of you on the streets and cars all connected to license plate readers, not to mention the license plate readers on garbage trucks. It’s called a police state that makes Orwell’s 1984 seem like it was written by a naive globalist wanna be instead of a globalist that actually understood the globalist plans. Then the NSA recording and filing all of your telephone conversation, text messages, emails and even every keystroke on your computer….worldwide.

Martha Bartha

Those License Plate readers give them all the info they want.

Steaming Pyle

You are awake Sir! BTW I used to see you on Infowars but I suspect you got banned, like me and many others! Cheers! Badge of Honor Baby!

Martha Bartha

They’re not worried, they’re just concerned.

Mike Coggins

WELCOME TO THE REAL WORLD! GLAD YOU WOKE UP.

This has been going on for 30 years, plus. Good to see you have been paying attention all this time. Attorney’s, private investigator and friends and family have have searching done for them. Welcome to the party pal!

Logan Waltz

People with power abusing it? Wow, that has totally never happened before.

smartacus

Access to all that information does VERY VERY LITTLE in terms of preventing crimes or keeping officers safe.

Constitutional Carry needs to be made the law of the land.
(actually; it always was the law of the land, it just needs to be recognized once again)

Whether abuse or ineptitude, I am used to it. The Office of Personnel Management data breach compromised the files of tens of millions of people.

Steaming Pyle

ALL gun laws are UNCONSTITUTIONAL ! From NFA to NCA PERIOD! There is no surprise that cops are corrupt. Remember that the Army wiped out an entire race of people and the cops are nothing more than a standing army who hates your ability to defend yourself!

b4k9zp

What “entire race of people” did “WHICH” Army wipe out, and when?

If you’re talking about the so-called “native americans” there are still plenty of those tribespeople left.

SpartacusKhan

and it was disease, for the most part, not any army

b4k9zp

Agreed, most of the “native American” tribes had no natural immunities to disease like smallpox, whooping cough, etcetera, (which can cause fatalities even in the western Europeans) .

Omer Woodruff

Police are humans just like everyone else . The only difference between a police officer and the general public is they swear to uphold the law and wear a badge but that does nothing to change the fact they are still humans . And not Martians with magical powers . They have problems like everyone else .